Transcript for Driest Year on Record in California Ignites New Season of Wildfires

you to a part of the country, tonight, so dry that any spark can light a fuse. Today, we learned that 2013 was the single-driest year in the history of california. And now, we're going to show you a hidden ghost town once underwater that's suddenly reappeared. Abc's david wright is there. Reporter: Wind-whipped fire and bone-dry brush. A potentially killer combination. In the past 24 hours blazes have threatened communities near sacramento and the pacific palisades, above santa monica beach. Multimillion-dollar homes there saved. It's been the driest year since they started keeping records in california, during the gold rush. And this is the third-straight year of drought. At this point, california is one tinderbox. No precipitation means no snow in the mountains. Ski resorts are struggling for business. Those aren't skiers on the slopes, they're bears that should be hibernating, sensing an early spring. And the snow melt and rain is what's needed to fill california's water reservoirs. Folsom lake is so ruined, a ghost town is appearing on the dry lake bed. I never have seen it like that. Reporter: America's richest farm land, the great central valley, is facing at least $1 billion in losses. Farmers forced to cut back on irrigation, in danger of losing their crops. Ranchers, unable to grow grass for their livestock. The parched landscape here will likely mean higher prices at the grocery store everywhere else. In church this past sunday. The farmers were praying for rain. David wright, abc news, los angeles.

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